Death Toll Rises In Iraq Mosque Bombing

At Least 12 Dead In Suicide Bomb Attack On Shiite Mosque

(AP)  A suicide bomber struck Shiite worshippers Friday at a mosque run by followers of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, killing at least 12 people, a day after Iraqi lawmakers approved a security pact with the United States.

The blast underlined fears on both sides of the argument - proponents of the deal warn the Iraqis aren't ready to take over their own security while opponents, led by the Sadrists, say the American presence is the main reason for the instability plaguing the country.

In Baghdad, thousands of al-Sadr's loyalists took to the streets to rally against the deal in the main Shiite district of Sadr City.

The bomber blew himself up among a group of men waiting to be searched near the green iron gate at the entrance of the main mosque in Musayyib, 40 miles south of Baghdad.

Worshippers - who had planned a protest against the pact after services - rushed outside or stood against the walls for protection against a possible roof collapse.

"When I reached the door ... I found it very hard to get away without stepping on bodies," said Hadi Radhi, a 40-year-old construction worker who was there. "We could not tell if they were dead or wounded."

Police and hospital officials said 12 people, including a woman who was begging for money nearby, were killed and 18 wounded. The U.S. military said eight civilians were killed and 15 wounded.

There was no claim of responsibility, but suicide bombings are associated with Sunni extremist groups. The U.S. military has warned Sunni insurgents are trying to provoke revenge attacks by Shiites in order to re-ignite sectarian warfare.

The mosque was formerly Sunni but had been taken over by the Sadrists after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime, officials said.

Musayyib, in an area that contains a volatile mix of Sunni and Shiite extremists, has faced several attacks in the past, including a July 16, 2005, suicide bombing that killed some 90 people near the same mosque.

But along with the rest of the country, it has seen a steep drop of violence over the past year. The U.S. military handed responsibility for security in the surrounding Babil province to Iraqi forces last month.

The security pact, which still must be approved by the three-member presidential council, was backed by the ruling coalition's Shiite and Kurdish blocs and the largest Sunni Arab bloc, which wanted concessions for supporting the deal.

But al-Sadr, who commands a large following among impoverished Iraqi Shiites and a 30-seat bloc in the 275-seat parliament, rejected the pact and said U.S. troops should withdraw immediately.

Al-Sadr, who lives in Iran, issued a separate statement via his spokesman Sheik Salah al-Obeidi calling for three days of mourning and peaceful public protests as a show of opposition against the agreement.

His cease-fire order has been a key factor in the drop in violence over the past year, along with a Sunni revolt against al Qaeda in Iraq and a U.S. troop buildup. His militia, which was responsible for some of the worst attacks of the war, has also been heavily targeted in U.S. and Iraqi operations.

A key aide warned that the American presence can only lead to more violence for Iraq.

"The explosion that took place today near a Shiite mosque in Musayyib town is one of the consequences of the security agreement," Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Mohammadawi said during a sermon in the Sadrist stronghold of Kufa. "The Iraqi government cannot survive without the U.S. presence and as long as the Americans remain here, Iraq will be still a battlefield."

A car bomb also exploded in a central square in Baghdad, killing at least three people and wounding 13, according to police and hospital officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

In Tehran, a hard-line Iranian cleric said the Iraqi parliament approved the deal under U.S. pressure but "did well" in deciding to put it to a referendum. The cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, was referring to the decision by Iraq's Shiite bloc to agree to a Sunni demand that the pact be put to a nationwide referendum by July 30.

Jannati's measured remarks were a departure from the harsh criticism that Iranian authorities had leveled against the security pact while it was being negotiated, though they tempered their criticism as the pact moved toward approval by Iraqi lawmakers.

[bigscruffy1]

It would be nice if they would just hurry up and blow themselves all up already. Let them see if their afterlife is real and let us normal people get on with living our lives.

[deckardbr]

Muslims killing Muslims because they''re not Muslim enough? More guns for both sides please!

[babooph]

All other US wars,the Hollywood part of the propaganda system ground out war movies - after Johns "Green Berets" folly was laughed at & Stalone fighting for the Taliban ,in his flick they are too frieghtened !

[denn034]

The rivalry between the Sunnis and Shiites, even if Sunnis are given a greater representation in government, will continue given the animosities between the two.

[ajaxtheleast]

It would''ve been somewhat conciliatory

had the Iraq diversion from our economy that

helped produce the mess it''s now would''ve been

successful,,, but we messed that up too.

(Would''ve been intreasting to know *what
Bush gave thanks for Thursday.)

*Outside of still being allowed to
live in America as an American.

[think-people]

Look What Bush & Cheney Left Obama & Biden To Clean Up.

1.) - two unending wars (Iraq & Afghanistan) and potential issues with Iran,
2.) - the need to play peacemaker between two nuclear armed nations (Pakistan & India),
3.) - the need to arbitrate peace between Palestinians and Israelis,
4.) - Putin chumming up to Big-mouth Hugo Chavez with Russian war ships and nuclear ambitions,
5.) - Genocide and starvation by the millions throughout Africa,
6.) - Drug wars, kidnappings, and killings spilling out of Mexico into the U.S.,
7.) - a broken national immigration policy with 20-million illegals hiding in the shadows,
8.) - Global warming clearly getting worst as polar ice caps melt faster than previously measured,
9.) - national economic meltdown,
10.) - financial & banking credit crisis,
11.) - severely crumbling national infrastructure of roads, bridges, buildings, and parks,
12.) - skyrocketing unemployment,
13.) - Bush/Cheney disastrous energy policies,
14.) - record breaking home foreclosures,
15.) - none or unaffordable health coverage,
16.) - lost investments, pensions and retirement plans,
17.) - never ending national debt,
18.) - out-of-reach affordable education
19.) - lost of international credibility & admiration,
20.) - dysfunctional and impotent government,
21.) - ineffective agencies like EPA, FDA, CDC, FEMA not able to protect the people,
22.) - hemorrhaging of jobs to overseas slave labor markets,
23.) - the lost of civil liberties

[earache4]

Who will be the last to die for a lie?

[promaclaura]

Sadr is probably behind it, the little twerp needs a way to keep a foothold over his militia. This bombing intensifies his supporters and rallies them under a common cause.

Iraqi lawmakers passed this pact, not because of Bush, he''s out the door. This pact is for the next three years under Barack and they all know it. Since they have been told that Barack is going to withdraw, why did they pass it? Maybe they didn''t believe his campaign rhetoric?

[xlib]

Uh, think-people, reading over your list I note that MANY have been ongoing problems for the country. AND, let''s not forget when the whole terror era started and really ramped up-in the 90''s. As for debt, etc, seems to me I remember Bush coming in and saying the same thing your chosen one is saying, cut programs that don''t work. I remember quite clearly your dems screaming about "draconian cuts". So, let''s look at the whole picture. As for chavez and putin, praytell way is that Bush''s fault?? After all, the chosen one has been elected (with a bit of help from soros, big money from who knows where and the hard work of acorn)and we were told the world would rejoice. So, tell us how this is Bush''s fault.
And, as for global warming, how is THAT Bush''s fault. Seems to me bubba didn''t sign the crzy kyoto accord, correct.
ANd, may I ask how this debacle is Bush''s fault?????

[earache4]

There were NO Al Queada in Iraq prior to the invasion. ZERO! ZIP! NADDA! NIL! America brought them there.

Who will be the last to die for a lie?

[pirmin3]

Yawn...

[socialismsux]

Good ole "peaceful" Islamic fundamentalism at it''s finest

[earache4]

Posted by Rowdydfw at 11:36 AM

Wrong AGAIN Rowdy! (Are you going for a consecutive record?) But don''t worry, I won''t burden you with providing that nasty little thing called ''proof''....

[socialismsux]

Who will be the last to die for a lie?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by earache4 at 11:28 AM : Nov 30, 2008

Muslim fundamentalists(jihadists)die for a wicked deceptive lie (their false religion) every single day, and they kill American troops and others who fight for freedom and democracy in an effort to gain their 72 virgins in their version of "paradise", which as soon as they pull the trigger on their suicide belts they awaken to eternal hellfire.

They die for their false religion every day and brainwash the masses in the middle east to follow their pagan moon god idol "allah" for the cause of a wicked, deceptive, evil, twisted, demented religion authored by the father of lies himself, the devil.

[earache4]

Muslim fundamentalists(jihadists)die for a wicked deceptive lie (their false religion) every single day, and they kill American troops and others who fight for freedom and democracy in an effort to gain their 72 virgins in their version of "paradise", which as soon as they pull the trigger on their suicide belts they awaken to eternal hellfire.

They die for their false religion every day and brainwash the masses in the middle east to follow their pagan moon god idol "allah" for the cause of a wicked, deceptive, evil, twisted, demented religion authored by the father of lies himself, the devil.

Posted by SocialismSux at 11:43 AM

And of course lying about having ALL those WMD''s....VERY naughty of them....

[socialismsux]

earache4

It appears that you are offended by me calling the jihadists wicked and evil. Perhaps Saddam Hussein didn''t murder enough innocent people with biological attacks to suit your wickedness.

You sir are just as evil as the jihadists are because you would rather blame the United States of America, instead of the wicked jihadists, for the problems in this world.

You sir DO NOT have a right NOT to be offended, got it?

You see, in America, we have a right (for the time being at least) to speak out against this wicked evil that is Islamic jihad, whether it "offends" you or not.

Meanwhile sit back and watch what the policy of "appeasement" of this evil will do for the better of this country.

You sir and fellow appeasers like you are what''s dangerous to our country''s Sovereignty and freedom.

[earache4]

You sir and fellow appeasers like you are what''s dangerous to our country''s Sovereignty and freedom.
Posted by SocialismSux at 11:51 AM :

Not likely. I served in defense of our countries sovereignty and freedoms for 8 years in a combat unit. This war has never had an attainable goal or even a generalized exit plan. There%u2019s nothing to win or lose (but American servicemen).

[earache4]

All these bomb attacks were sold to the American people as "humanitarian" projects or projects designed to promote "democracy
Posted by Rowdydfw at 11:57 AM

And how was the document warning the administration of terrorists using planes as bombs sold?

[earache4]

rowdy?

[earache4]

Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:16 PM :

Do you even know the difference between conjecture and fact? You should write science fiction. Bin Laden has tried harder to get nukes than Sadam ever did. By the way, how''s that whole ''dead or alive'' thingy comming?

[earache4]

Seems like Old Bill Clinton chased those weapons around for FIVE YEARS!

And you idiots screech about how Bush lied!

Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:21 PM

That''s because Slick Willy didn''t order the CIA to juice up the intelegence reports like Shrubbya did....

[earache4]

AND THEN BLAM! Osama strikes the WTC and kills 3,000 Americans!
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:22 PM

And how was the document warning the administration of terrorists using planes as bombs sold? ''BLAM'' indeed....
Posted by earache4 at 12:00 PM

[earache4]

Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:24 PM

Bin Laden has tried harder to get nukes than Sadam ever did. By the way, how''s that whole ''dead or alive'' thingy comming?

[earache4]

AND, Al Bore screeching about how there were 1400 terrorists in Iraq?
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:27 PM

By the way, how''s that whole ''dead or alive'' thingy comming?

[earache4]

Bin Laden never had a country to hide them in like Saddam did...Bin Laden was on the lam from most every country in the world, including Sudan who tried to hand Bin Laden on a plate to Clinton he declined!
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:29 PM


Source please....

[earache4]

Bin Laden never had a country to hide them in like Saddam did...Bin Laden was on the lam from most every country in the world, including Sudan who tried to hand Bin Laden on a plate to Clinton he declined!
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:29 PM


Source please....

[earache4]

Until every one of these extremist radical mercenary bastwards are DEAD they will not allow peace anywhere.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:35 PM

It''s been SIX YEARS! How long does it take to beat a few extremist radical mercenary bastwards with AK47''s and RPG''s? And where were the WMD''s? The 9/11 connection? This is an oil war. Always was, always will be.

[earache4]

Source? Source for WHAT?
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:38 PM

Source for your claim, ****.....you really are slow...

[earache4]

Source? Source for WHAT?
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:38 PM

Sorry, my bad, there isn''t one. It''s just a Rush re-read.

[earache4]

Ask Russia! Try tried for nine years.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:47 PM

LOL! You are comparing the Russian military to the American military?

[earache4]

From 1996 to 1998, I opened unofficial channels between Sudan and the Clinton administration. I met with officials in both countries, including Clinton, U.S. National Security Advisor Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger and Sudan''''s president and intelligence chief. President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, who wanted terrorism sanctions against Sudan lifted, offered the arrest and extradition of Bin Laden and detailed intelligence data about the global networks constructed by Egypt''''s Islamic Jihad, Iran''''s Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas.

http://www.infowars.com/saved%
20pages/Prior_Knowledge/Clinton_let_bin_
laden.htm
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:49 PM

LOL!!!! Sorry, should have specified, CREDIBLE source. Thanks for the laugh!

[earache4]

Yeah, I am...unless you just want to drop a big load on the whole place...which is frankly what I prefer...

Routing out these bastwards in their hidey holes will either take a big bomb on the whole place...or soldiers with rifles, like I said, Russia tried for nine years.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:52 PM

LOL!!! It only took a month to win the Iraqi war "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"....it only took 4 years to beat Germany and Japan....just admit Bin Laden is farther from being caught than he was when Shrub made the claim ''dead or alive''....

[earache4]

Sorry, rowdy. You are too skewed right to be considered viable on any ''mainstream'' media blog. Enjoy your Rush Limbaugh programs and keep the fear alive!

[promaclaura]

Sorry, rowdy. You are too skewed right to be considered viable on any ''''mainstream'''' media blog. Enjoy your Rush Limbaugh programs and keep the fear alive!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by earache4 at 02:49 PM : Nov 30, 2008

Terrorists, trained in Pakistan, carrying out their jihad attacks in India are keeping the fear alive better than talk radio.

[promaclaura]

Rowdy, I bet ol'' Sandy Berger was hiding the Sudan "offer" in his socks before the 9/11 Commission could get ahold of it.

Clinton stated: So we tried to be quite aggressive with them [al Qaeda]. We got %u2013 well, Mr. bin Laden used to live in Sudan. He was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991, then he went to Sudan. And we''d been hearing that the Sudanese wanted America to start dealing with them again. They released him. At the time, 1996, he had committed no crime against America, so I did not bring him here because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America. So I pleaded with the Saudis to take him, ''cause they could have. But they thought it was a hot potato and they didn''t and that''s how he wound up in Afghanistan.

[promaclaura]

A little more:

Clinton later claimed to have misspoken and stated that there had never been an offer to turn over bin Laden. It is clear, however, that Berger, at least, did consider the possibility of bringing bin Laden to the U.S., but, as he told The Washington Post in 2001, "The FBI did not believe we had enough evidence to indict bin Laden at that time, and therefore opposed bringing him to the United States." According to NewsMax.com, Berger later emphasized in an interview with WABC Radio that, while administration officials had discussed whether or not they had ample evidence to indict bin Laden, that decision "was not pursuant to an offer by the Sudanese."

[promaclaura]

A little more:

Clinton later claimed to have misspoken and stated that there had never been an offer to turn over bin Laden. It is clear, however, that Berger, at least, did consider the possibility of bringing bin Laden to the U.S., but, as he told The Washington Post in 2001, "The FBI did not believe we had enough evidence to indict bin Laden at that time, and therefore opposed bringing him to the United States." According to NewsMax.com, Berger later emphasized in an interview with WABC Radio that, while administration officials had discussed whether or not they had ample evidence to indict bin Laden, that decision "was not pursuant to an offer by the Sudanese."

[promaclaura]

Wow, all that backtracking, I wonder what was in Sandy Bergers socks?

[kareharris22]

American born Islamic followers with symphony towards Al Queda and Taliban efforts abroad, are now killing American Bald Eagles at an alarming rate. So far these supporters have killed about 60 out of the known 380 still left in the world. Actions by the Federal Government are under way to stop and demise of our national bird from extinction.

Do your part to stop this madness!

[earth562]

Miketotten1

Is an imposter who has used a reporters name to spread lies and distortions.

He is paid by a Saudi/Wahabist organization set up in the United States.

This poster is on this website for over 14 hours a day 7 days a week.

Please check it out for yourself

[socialismsux]

More episodes from the religion of death, ISLAM. An every day headline news story....

More to come.

www.thereligionofpeace.com

[socialismsux]

American born Islamic followers with symphony towards Al Queda and Taliban efforts abroad, are now killing American Bald Eagles at an alarming rate. So far these supporters have killed about 60 out of the known 380 still left in the world. Actions by the Federal Government are under way to stop and demise of our national bird from extinction.

Do your part to stop this madness!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by KareHarris22 at 08:50 PM : Nov 30, 2008


It''s a shame people don''t have this much passion over the lives of the innocent unborn babies who are murdered each year from abortion.

[socialismsux]

Not likely. I served in defense of our countries sovereignty and freedoms for 8 years in a combat unit. This war has never had an attainable goal or even a generalized exit plan. There%u2019s nothing to win or lose (but American servicemen).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by earache4 at 11:57 AM : Nov 30, 2008

You aren''t the only one who has served and you DEFINITELY don''t speak for the entire military either. Why don''t you do a stat check on the record amount of VOLUNTARY re-enlistments that have taken place IN THE COMBAT ZONE in Iraq since this war began.

You sir represent a tiny minority when it comes to a knowledge of the evil we are fighting, called Islamic jihad.

You''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.

The minute you realize this the more you will see how serious this business is.

[earache4]

You''''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.
Posted by SocialismSux at 12:34 AM

Do you mean like the evil that exists in Dufar, or in Tibet?

[promaclaura]

You''''''''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.
Posted by SocialismSux at 12:34 AM

Do you mean like the evil that exists in Dufar, or in Tibet?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by earache4 at 07:12 AM : Dec 01, 2008

Earache4, I think you have good intentions, but like I said before, your soooo invested in hating GW that you can''t see past it. Socialismsux''s post was right on, I think you are naive about the intent of the American military. Go ahead, believe what you want about GW, but stop painting such a broad picture of evil intent over the rest of them.

The other areas that you mentioned in your post, especially Darfur (dufar?) have the U.N. in charge and I know you believe they are a successful entity. Africa looks like a powder keg to me, and once again people are suffering do to MUSLIM extremism. GW has tackled their Aids problem, eventually an American President is going to be forced to go in militarily as well. I don''t look forward to that as I believe it will be a bigger bloodbath, "Blackhawk Down" comes to mind.

[earache4]

The other areas that you mentioned in your post, especially Darfur (dufar?) have the U.N. in charge and I know you believe they are a successful entity. Africa looks like a powder keg to me, and once again people are suffering do to MUSLIM extremism. GW has tackled their Aids problem, eventually an American President is going to be forced to go in militarily as well. I don''t look forward to that as I believe it will be a bigger bloodbath, "Blackhawk Down" comes to mind.
Posted by promaclaura at 07:41 AM

So America should only attack evil lurking above oil reserves?

[promaclaura]

So America should only attack evil lurking above oil reserves?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by earache4 at 08:08 AM : Dec 01, 2008

I think you know that Saddam did a lot more than just terrorize his own country and people. Saddam also demonstrated his desire for weapons of mass destruction, nobody disputes this. So far the people of Darfur are the unfortunate ones caught in jihad, I haven''t seen a desire to develop WMD or invasion of other countries or paying families of suicide bombers. Although, I believe evil does spread and there will be a day of reckoning in Africa.

Another thought, Barack selected Hillary as his Sec. of State, she is a HAWK. Clinton''s view on Iraq was very obvious, and she supported ousting Saddam (so did Bill). I think you will be disappointed if you believe she will be handing around the peace pipe.

As far as oil is concerned, I have not seen barrels of Iraqi oil heading our way, so that point is currently moot.

[earache4]

As far as oil is concerned, I have not seen barrels of Iraqi oil heading our way, so that point is currently moot.
Posted by promaclaura at 08:29 AM

You didn''t read about the oil contracts secured by American Oil Companies?

[nikosk11]

Let the ba$tards kill each other and pull our troops out of there.
NO MORE AMERICAN BLOOD.

[mrmeatspin]

terrorism WILL BE A LUCRATIVE business under the liberal Obama administration..